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REMINGTON No. 1 SPORTING RIFLE – EARLY PRODUCTION
RIFLE, CHAMBERED IN .44 SHARPS - BUFFALO HUNTER’S GUN:
Second only to the famous Sharp’s rifles on the Buffalo
ranges, these Remington No. 1 Rifles were very popular
on the western frontier with such notables as George
Armstrong Custer and accounted for more than their fair
share of hides during the height of the market driven
Buffalo hunts.
This rifle, weighing approximately 12 pounds and
featuring a full original length octagon 26” barrel
(measured from the receiver to the muzzle), is chambered
for the very desirable .44 Sharps cartridge, and is in
its original configuration with all matching serial
numbers and parts.
The barrel and lower trigger guard tang both bear the
matching four digit serial number “3640” – the low
number indicative an early production rifle. The
caliber is stamped legibly “44
CTG’E S” on the
bottom flat of the barrel just forward of the fore stock
nosecap and the top flat of the barrel is stamped "E.
Remington & Sons, Ilion, N.Y.".
Showing very little wear, this Remington has survived in
very good condition. The metal is overall smooth with
only minor handling marks. The receiver still retains a
considerable amount of the mottled pattern of the case
colors. The barrel has a pleasing, even aged brown
finish on the exposed surfaces, with a strong blue
finish remaining on the area protected by the fore end.
The bore is excellent with clear well defined rifling
throughout – bright lands and some minor frosting in the
grooves - with no heavy dark spots or pitting.
The action is very strong and the rifle is mechanically
sound. A very nice feature is the presence of an
adjustable set trigger which functions with a very crisp
let off without being set, and performs equally well
when set. Both the front and rear sights are present,
the original rear sight complete with the stepped
elevator. The front sight is made from a United States
silver coin and some of the characters on the coin’s
surface are still legible – a common feature found on
frontier used rifles.
The fore arm and butt stock are in excellent condition
with no cracks or worn wood with much of the original
finish present, and the butt stock in particular shows
some nice figure in the wood grain. The forearm is
complete with the steel nosecap.
This Remington No. 1 features all
the characteristics of the early frontier rifles used by
the market hunters who decimated the Buffalo herds.
These early large bored single shot Remington Rifles are
rapidly increasing in value as they become increasingly
difficult to find in any condition – much less in the
very good condition of this rifle. They have become a
very desirable addition to any collection of firearms
associated with the American West and are a real
pleasure to own. SOLD
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